Bucket elevator



March 7, 1961 Filed Jan. 13, 1958 A. H. ROLOSON BUCKET ELEVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR; ALFRED H. RoLosoN,

March 7, 1961 A. H. ROLOSON BUCKET ELEVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1958 INVENTOR; ALFRED H. RoLoson,

March 7, 1961 A. H. ROLOSON BUCKET ELEVATOR s Sheets-Shee'i; 3

Filed Jan. 15, 1958 ALFRED H. RoLosoN, BY A United States Patent BUCKET ELEVATOR Alfred H. Roloson, Worthington, Ohio, assignor to The .gelfrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of bio Filed Jan. 13, 1958, Set". No. 708,455

Claims. (Cl. 198-152) The instant invention relates to bucket elevators, and more particularly to an improvedbucket'elevatorin which the buckets are attached to the links of an endless chain and are arranged to follow each other in succession.

It is a prime object of this invention to provide an improved bucket elevator comprising a plurality of buckets arranged in succession tofollow each other.

It is another object of the instant invention to provide an improved bucket elevator comprising art-endless chain having a plurality of buckets secured to the chain, and arranged to follow each other, and having the combined features of increased bucket capacity and increased useful life.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partially broken away, showing a bucket elevator embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view showing a portion of the elevator chain with the buckets attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the chain and buckets trained about the elevator head wheel;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a bucket constructed in accordance with the instant invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the bucket of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the chain and buckets trained about the head wheel, in which the chain and head wheel are partially worn; and

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of the chain and buckets trained about the head wheel, in which the chain and head wheel are completely worn.

The instant invention is disclosed herein as embodied in a bucket elevator which is used to convey hot catalyst. The material is usually at an elevated temperature of the order of 1000 F., and accordingly, the various parts of the elevator are subjected to extremes of temperature. These bucket elevators, which are used to convey the hot catalyst, are operated continuously for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, since it would not be economically feasible to stop the operation thereof, in view of the fact that the mechanism must be run at the extreme temperature mentioned. It is further required that these bucket elevators have a maximum capacity and the longest possible useful life, and that there be no interruption of the operation for maintenance and the like. The invention herein, which relates primarily to the elevator chain and buckets, is commensurate with the stated objectives, and provides a substantially increased bucket capacity for the hot catalyst, and has the combined feature of providing for a long useful life of the elevator before the conveying mechanism is completely worn out and must be replaced.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a bucket elevator 10 which embodies the instant invention. The bucket elevator 10 comprises a foot section 11 Piitented Mar. 7, 1961 and a head section 12, with a plurality of intermediat casing sections 13 being interposed between the foot section 11 and the head section 12, as many of these intermediate sections 13 being provided as are necessary to give the bucket elevator 10 its required height. The foot section 11 is mounted on and secured to a suitable permanent foundation 14, and includes a foot wheel 15 on a shaft 16, the latter being supported in the foot section 11 for free rotation. The structure for mounting the shaft 16 is not illustrated in detail herein for the reason that it forms no part of the instant invention, and this structure may follow that disclosed in Mercier, Patent No. 2,3 84,189, for an Elevator.

One of the characteristics of the structure mounting the shaft 16 is that this mounting structure is reciprocable in a vertical direction within the upright guide 17, diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 1. Since the bucket elevator 10 is operated at such extremely high temperatures, it will be understood that there will be an elongation of the conveying mechanism 20 due to the heat, and therefore it is necessary to make this provision for adjustment of the vertical position of the shaft 16. It is also noted that'as the conveying mechanism 20 is worn in the course of extended operation of the bucket elevator 10, there will also be an elongation of the distance between the foot and head ends of the conveying mecha nism 20, requiring a further adjustment of the vertical position of the shaft 16, which will be of an incremental nature during the useful life of the bucket elevator 10'. This will be explained in greater detail hereinafter.-

The foot section 11 additionally includes a chute-1 8 through which the material is directed to the feed chute 19, the latter having its discharge end disposed-within the foot section 11 to deliver the material to the conveying mechanism 2t of the bucket elevator 10.

flows therefrom to the conveying mechanism 20 in a steady stream. The head section 12 comprises an outboard platform 21 which is disposed at one side thereof, and supports:

25 is covered with a cylindrical heat insulating cover 28 to protect the shaft 25 from the extreme heat.

At the side of the elevator head section 12 opposite that on which the motor and gear reducing means 22 is mounted, there is provided an inclined, downwardly directed, discharge chute 27 to which the material is delivered from the conveying mechanism 20. The head Wheels 26 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, and thus the conveying mechanism '20 trained about the head wheels 26 travels in a direction towards the discharge chute 27, and as the convey: ing mechanism 20 passes over the top of the head wheels. 26, and downwardly around them, the material is dis-; charged therefrom and falls, or flows, onto the discharge chute 27 by which the material is directed to its ultimate destination.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the conveying mechanism: 20, comprising the chain 30 and the buckets 40 isillustrated in greater detail. Achain 30 is provided at each" side of the bucket elevator 10 and is trained about the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26. Each chain 30' In theoperation of the bucket elevator 10 the material is continuously delivered to the chutes 18, 19, and continuouslycomprises a plurality of chain links 31, which are connected in succession with an articulated joint being provided between successive chain links 31. Each chain link 31 includes a pair of opposite laterally spaced side bars 32, 33. One endof each of the side bars 32, 33 is secured to a transversely extending knuckle 34 and, as seen in Fig. 2, the side bars 32, 33 diverge from the knuckle 34, so that the opposite ends of the side bars 32, 33 are sufliciently spaced in a lateral direction to receive the knuckle end of the next chain link 31 therebetween. A knuckle pin 35 extends through the free ends of the side bars 32, 33 of one chain link, and through the knuckle 34 of a successive chain link and thereby forms an articulated joint between successive chain links 31 in the chain 30.

Each of the endless chains 30 is trained about the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26, each of the wheels 15, 26 being provided with a bearing and traction rim 36, which is seen in Fig. 3. The knuckles 34 of the chain links 31 ride on the rims 36 of the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26, and the friction between the knuckles 34 and the rims 36 of the head wheels 26 provide traction for driving the chains 30 upon rotation of the head wheels 26. In Fig. 3 there is illustrated the new condition of the head wheels 26 and the chain 30, in which the rims 36 have their maximum radial thickness, and it is seen therein that there is substantially line contact between the knuckles 34 and the rims 36. Since it is inevitable in a mechanism, such as that described, that the knuckles 34 will slide relatively to the bearing and traction rims 36 ofthe foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26, the knuckles 34 and the rims 36 will each become worn, whereby a portion of the knuckles 34 adjacent the rims 36 will acquire a concave configuration, and the outer diameter of the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26 will be reduced due to the wearing of the rims 36. This gives rise to an incremental increase in the distance between the axes of the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26 as the elevator 10 continues in operation, and causes what in effect is an elongation, making it necessary to provide for adjustment of the vertical position of the foot shaft 16 as previously noted.

A plurality of buckets 40 are disposed between the chains 30, and secured thereto to be carried by the chains around the foot wheels 15 and the head wheels 26. Each bucket includes a side bracket 41 at each side thereof by means of which the bucket 40 is secured to the inner side bars 33 of opposite chain links 31, the brackets 41 being secured to the chain links 31 by bolts 42.

The individual buckets 40 are illustrated in greater detail in Figs. 4 and 5. The bucket 40 comprises a flat bottom wall 45, a rear wall 46, and a front wall 47. Referring to Fig. 3, it is seen that the bottom wall 45 of the bucket 40 is disposed behind the chain 30, and that the rear wall 46 and the front wall 47 of the bucket 40 extend upwardly at an angle to the bottom wall 45 towards the front of the chain 30, with a substantial portion of the rear wall 46 being disposed behind the chain 30. The rear wall 46 comprises a lower rear wall section 48 and an upper rear wall section 49. The front wall 47 comprises a lower front wall section 50 and an upper front wall section 51.

The lower rear wall section 48 and the lower front wall section 50 rise from the bottom wall 45 and diverge therefrom. The upper rear wall section 49 and the upper front wall section 51 form continuations of the lower wall sections 48 and 50, respectively, and converge towards each other from the lower wall sections 48, 50. A brace 52 extends between the upper wall sections 49, 51 near the tops thereof to reinforce the bucket. The bucket 40 additionally includes upright side walls 53 to which the brackets 41 are secured. The side walls 53 extend forwardly beyond the front wall 47,to form 4 side skirts 54 for the purpose of guiding the delivery of material to the following bucket 40 on the chains 30.

Referring to Fig. 3, it is seen that in the vertical runs in the chain 30 successive buckets 40 overlap each other, the lower front wall section 50 of one bucket 40 being disposed closely adjacent the upper rear wall section 49 of a successive bucket 40. The skirts 54 on one bucket 40 extend forwardly of that bucket 40 to overlie the side walls 53 of the successive bucket 40 and forms a channel extending upwardly from said successive bucket 40 to guide the flow of material from the delivery chute 19 into the successive bucket 40. The upper front wall section 51 of one bucket 40 is disposed at such an angle that it is substantially in line with the top of the upper rear wall section 49 of a successive bucket 40, for the purpose of directing the flow of material to said successive bucket 40.

As the buckets are carried around over the head wheels 26 by the chains 30, each bucket 40 is successively tipped to cause the material to flow out of the bucket 40. The material flowing out of a bucket 40 flows over the front wall 47 of a preceding bucket 40, which wall 47, in combination with the side skirts 54, form a chute for directing the flo'w of discharging material to the discharge chute 27, which delivers the material outside of the bucket elev.-.tor 10.

In Fig. 3 the chain 30 and the head wheels 26 are illustrated as they are when in new condition in which the chain knuckles 34 have substantially line contact with the rims 36 of the head wheels 26. Since the buckets 40 are fixedly secured to the chain links 30, as the chains 30 travel around on the head wheels 26, the space for the buckets 40 belu'nd the chains 30 is decreased in the vicinity of the head wheels 26. In view of the severe operating conditions to which the bucket elevator 10 is subjected, this becomes an important consideration in the construction of such elevators. This problem is solved by the novel construction of the chains 30 and buckets 40 herein.

It is seen in Fig. 3 that as the buckets 40 are carried around the head wheels 26, the bottom wall 45 of one bucket 40 is disposed closely adjacent the upper rear wall section 49 of asuccessive bucket 40, and that these walls 45, 49 diverge in the direction of the shaft 25. As used herein the term closely adjacent is meant to describe a condition wherein the adjacent walls are as close to each other as is mechanically possible and still providing the necessary clearances for satisfactory operation of the elevator 10. The lower rear wall section 48 of each bucket 40, as it travels around the head wheels 26, is disposed tangentially to a circle which is concentric with the head wheel 26 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3). The lower rear wall section 48 is spaced radially from the shaft 25 and the insulating cover 28 a sufl'icient distance to allow for the wearing of the bearing and traction rims 36 and the knuckles 34, due to which the rear wall section 48 will be disposed progressively closer to the shaft 25 and the insulating cover 28 as the rims 36 and the knuckles 34 are Worn. Thus it is seen that the full available space within the chain links 30 which are disposed on the rims 36 of the head wheels 26 is utilized to provide for substantially increased bucket volume.

As the rims 36 of the head wheels 26 are worn the diameter of the head wheels 26 is reduced, thereby decreasing the available space for the buckets 40 behind the chain links 31 as they travel around the head wheels 26. A further reduction of the available space occurs due to the fact that the knuckles 34 are also worn, so that the portion of the knuckles 34 which bears on the head wheels 26 assumes a concave configuration which is complementary to that of the rims 36, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

The bottom wall 45 and the upper rear wall section 48 of each bucket 40, are directed through the articulated joint between successive chainlink-s 31, whereby these walls 45, 48 in effect, pivot on the articulated joint between successive chain links 31 along with the chain links 31. As the wearing of the chain knuckles 34 and the bearing and traction rims 36 progresses to the extent illustrated in Fig. 6, the bottom wall 45 of one bucket 40 and the closely adjacent upper rear wall section 49 of a successive bucket 4t), disposed on the head wheels 26, will become parallel to each other. As further wear occurs, as shown in Fig. 7, the bottom wall 45 and the upper rear wall section 49 will converge towards the shaft 25 of the head wheels 26. The condition illustrated in Fig. 7 is the worn out condition of the bucket elevator 10, in which the knuckles 34 are worn through to the inside thereof. At this point the bucket elevatoi operator must be stopped and the chains 30, as well as the foot wheels 15 and head wheels 26, must be replaced.

The invention has been described herein with particu- .lar reference to the head wheels 26. The foot wheels 15 of the bucket elevator 10 are similar to the head wheels 26, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the description of the invention, as contained herein, is applicable as well to the foot wheels 15.

The instant invention relates particularly to the buckets and chain of a bucket elevator, wherein each of the buckets is secured between opposite chain links of the chain. The specific configuration of the buckets as described herein is a material part of this invention, providing for a substantially increased bucket capacity. The novel configuration of the buckets is such that the buckets in traveling around the head and foot wheels of the bucket elevator are disposed closely adjacent to each other, and are disposed in such relation to each other that the chains and the head and foot Wheels may wear without in any way impairing the operation of the elevator, thereby substantially increasing the useful life thereof under the severe operating conditions to which the bucket elevator is subjected.

Obviously those skilled in the art may take various changes in the details and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and applicant therefore wishes not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention, what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bucket elevator comprising a wheel and a shaft for the wheel, a chain trained about the wheel, a plurality of buckets for conveying material secured to the chain in succession and adapted to be carried around the wheel by the chain, each of said buckets comprising a bottom wall and a rear wall, the surface area of the bottom wall of one bucket being disposed so closely adjacent the surface area of the rear wall of a successive bucket as the buckets are carried around on the periphery of the wheel by the chain that the closely adjacent bot tom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are divergent in the direction of the shaft when said wheel and chain are in unworn condition and said closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear Wall surface areas of successive buckets are less divergent than aforesaid when the wheel is partially worn and the diameter thereof is less than the diameter of the wheel in unworn condition and said closely adj acent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are convergent in the direction of the shaft when said Wheel is completely worn.

2. A bucket elevator comprising a wheel and a shaft for the wheel, a chain trained about the wheel, said chain comprising a plurality of links joined to each other in succession, each link having a knuckle to provide an articulated connection between successive links, said knuckles bearing on the periphery of. the wheel to supportthe chain thereon, a plurality of buckets for conveying. material secured to the chain links in succession and adapted to be carried aroundthe wheel by the chain, each of said buckets comprising a bottom wall and a rearwall, the surface area of the bottom wall of one bucket being disposed so closely adjacent the surface area of the rear wall of a successive bucket as the buckets are carried around on the periphery of the wheel by the chain that the closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are divergent in the direction of the shaft when said wheel and chain are in unworn condition and said closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are less divergent than aforesaid when the chain link knuckles are partially worn and said closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are convergent in the direction of the shaft when said chain link knuckles are completely worn.

3. A bucket elevator comprising a wheel and a shaft for the wheel, a chain trained about the wheel, said chain comprising a plurality of links joined to each other in succession, each link having a knuckle to provide an articulated connection between successive links, said knuckles bearing on the periphery of the wheel to support the chain thereon, a plurality of buckets for conveying material secured to the chain links in succession and adapted to be carried around the wheel by the chain, each of said buckets comprising a bottom wall anda rear Wall, the surface area of the bottom wall of one bucket being disposed so closely adjacent the surface area of the rear wall of a successive bucket as the buckets are carried around on the periphery of the wheel by the chain that the closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are divergent in the direction of the shaft when said wheel and chain are in unworn condition and said closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wall surface area of successive buckets are less divergent than aforesaid when the chain link knuckles are partially worn and the wheel is partially worn and the diameter thereof is less than the diameter of the wheel in unworn condition and said closely adjacent bottom wall surface area and rear wallsurface area of successive buckets are convergent in the direction of the shaft when said chain link knuckles and said wheel are completely worn.

4. A bucket elevator comprising a wheel, a chain trained about the wheel, a plurality of buckets for conveying material secured to the chain in succession and adapted to be carried around the wheel by the chain, each of said buckets comprising a bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall, each of said front and rear walls including upper and lower wall sections, the surface area of the lower rear wall section of each bucket being disposed tangentially to a circle concentric with the wheel as the buckets are cam'ed around on the periphery of the wheel by the chain, the lower wall sections of the front and rear wall of each bucket diverging from the bottom wall, and the upper wall sections of the front and rear walls extending upwardly from the lower wall sections of the front and rear walls, respectively, and being disposed in convergent disposition extending away from the lower wall sections thereof.

5. A bucket elevator comprising a wheel, a chain trained about the wheel, a plurality of buckets for conveying material secured to the chain in succession and adapted to be carried around the wheel by the chain, each of said buckets comprising a bottom wall, a front wall and a rear wall, each of said front and rear walls including upper and lower wall sections, the surface area of the bottom wall of one bucket being disposed closely adjacent the surface area of the upper rear wall section of a successive bucket as the buckets are carried around on the periphery of the wheel by the chain, the'lower wall sections of the front and rear wall of each bucket 7 diverging from the bottom wall; and the unper wail sec References Cited in the file of this patent tions of the front and rear walls extending upwardly from UNITED STATES PATENTS the lower wall sections of the front and rear walls, respec- 2,339,938 Meyer Jam 25, 1944 tively, and being disposed in convergent disposition ex- 5 2,491,899 Mel-Ciel- Dec. 20, 1949 tending away from the lower wall sections thereof. 2,633,522 Mercier July 13, 1954 

